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Visual development and character design for a Mexican cultural adaptation of the classic "Cinderella" story.

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For my 2012 Senior Thesis, I visual developed my own Mexican adaption of the classic "Cinderella" story.

As this was to be my senior thesis, I wanted to work on a project that I could connect to and have fun designing. This visual development and adaptation of the story, characters, and iconic elements were all inspired by my family and childhood.

The end results were magical.

The rich colors and modular style of the buildings in the town Cenicienta lives in were based on

my memories of Mexico from childhood.

Cenicienta's transformation dress designed is based on traditional folklorico dresses. She is also given a woven golden rebozo (shawl) which in Mexican cultures is often seen as sign of womanhood.

Since the story is set in colonial Mexico, the animal friend's in this story would

chickens, tortoises, and desert lizards.

Instead of a King in my version of the story, I thought it more historically correct to make the castle into the "Governor's Hacienda." The shape of the hacienda was based on old style missions I often see here in California.

The "Prince" in my version of the story is the city governor's eldest son.

He wears a white and gold embroidered charro outfit to the fiesta, where he meets with Cenicienta.

My "Fairy Abuelita" was roughly based on both my grandmother and a very famous old mexican singer.

Her "wand" is actually a golden honey dipper, which my family uses for hot chocolate.

I tested out a few shoe silhouettes, really trying to put a cultural twist on the iconic glass slipper

The finalized design was a wooden heel with embossed golden leather straps, because leather in this era was quite special.

I dont remember pumpkins being the crop of choice in Mexico, so I created a Pinto Bean carriage for Cenicienta to ride in. Complete with burros.

In my story, the beautiful ballroom scene was changed to a magical outdoor fiesta.